First Encounter

Keys tapped on the keyboard of the laptop, the click clacking becoming a mundane sound in the background to the conversation of the user of said laptop. Fingers flying across the laptop like a pianist plying their trade, not even noticing how fast she worked. Even while frantically tapping away with her work her attention was only half focused on what she was supposed to be doing.

"Yeah I'm free. Sure, sounds fun." She replied dryly to the speaker on the phone. Said phone was perched in the shoulder of the woman sat before the small screen. Her eyes flicking quickly across the screen, the device emitting a sharp blue light illuminating her face. Her eyes focused on the screen for a second, the conversation fell into the background as she typed her name at the bottom of her work.

Elena.

Before her eyes lost their hardened focus and she went back to the conversation on the phone. Elena was talking to a friend, a slight pain pinched her shoulder as her muscle cried out for her to stop tensing so hard and awkwardly, so she relaxed her body and took the small object away from her ear. Just about able to hear the voice still being broadcast from the tiny machine as she pressed the speaker mode on her phone. Now she was able to work and talk better. Elena flexed her sore muscles and lightly massaged her shoulder with a hand as she idly chatted.

Both of their voices filled the small room of her office now. The young woman was currently sat at her wooden desk, the workspace was littered with empty cans and wrappers except for one which she was currently sipping from. She turned away from her laptop, her body swinging away from the desk as she crossed her legs to simply change posture, picking up her half full can as she did so and bringing it to her lips, taking a swig. Elena mindlessly examined the bright colours garishly printed onto the drink, before placing it onto the desk with a dull clang and glancing toward the small window of her tiny office.

She pushed her wooden chair back away from the desk taking a break from her work and folding her arms. The dark curtains were closed even as the light glowed faintly around the cloth, fighting to illuminate her small den. Elena had always been a bit of a night owl and being able to work from home at the moment only helped her nocturnal lifestyle.

"Great! We'll see you then. Don't forget the film is at eight, so meet us outside at... hmm... seven thirty? Yeah seven thirty." The male voice on the other end chirped far too happily. Elena glanced at her watch . It was still few hours till the film, she had plenty of time to brush herself up.

"Yeah no problem Roger. See you then." Elena feared she didn't sound that enthusiastic on the phone, she did tend to always prefer to stay in and watch films or TV till late on her own. But this was her own fault, she had been talking about the new film that had just come out at the cinema and how she really should go out more often...

"Roger. Over and out." The male voice joked. Elena rolled her eyes at her own phone. Roger always tried to be funny even if his jokes were not at all humorous and just plain weird.

"I told you it's not..." However Elena closed her mouth mid sentence as she realised that he had already hung up. For a moment she stared at her now silent phone, before sighing and turning back to her laptop. The bright unnatural light shone out at her, drawing her into the world of data and numbers. She proceeded to close down her work and turn off her laptop, the fan on the device whirring into life as it shutdown and then suddenly the screen was black.

Elena curved her back to stretch it out before she rose off her seat, her sore muscles thanking her for the movement after hours sat at the console. She looked down at herself, she was in no state to present herself to her friends tonight, even if they were old friends from her recent job. She guessed she should try and make a bit more of an effort then her old frayed jumper and worn jeans.

She leaned over and closed the laptop softly with a light thud and moved the couple of steps to the window, pulling back the curtains and finally allowing the light to envelop the room, casting away the darkness of her world. Her nocturnal eyes stung as she quickly adjusted to the light, her pupils quickly shrinking in the change of environment.

She stared out of the window to the outside world, Elena was renting a flat on the top floor of a block. Only three floors high so she could still see the inhabitants of the city go about their daily lives. The faint beeping of a backing truck, the blare of a horn, the boom of the bell striking in the nearby church. She soon turned from the wonders of the world outside back to her own domain. Elena marched out of her office and further into her flat, a one bedroom small affair, large enough for her but perhaps not for any more. But that suited her just fine, she preferred to live alone.

She tugged at the elastic bobble holding her long deep brown hair back into a ponytail, allowing it to drop and drape around her lithe shoulders. Elena's mind couldn't help but go back to the times she had tried to live with others... she shuddered. No thanks. However that may have been down to the fact one of those times had been a matter of convenience, a group of friends from university to save money.

Elena threw her hands up in frustration at that memory. When the sink is full or the cupboards are bare now she knows it's always going to be her own fault. She grinned at herself, one of the best decisions she ever made finally breaking free and managing to afford a place of her own.

However... before she lived with those friends she had lived with her once upon a time boyfriend. Elena felt a deep scowl on her face as she walked to her own bathroom, ignoring her own fixtures and fittings in her sparse flat, trying to push the memory away and simply look forward to her nice hot shower.

That was only one of the biggest mistakes of her life, he was nice enough sure, maybe she even felt attached to him. But what she took for simple attachment went way too far, making him her boyfriend even when she wasn't sure... making them live together when she wasn't sure... forcing her into bed when she wasn't sure. That's it! Elena felt her stomach flip at that memory, a wave of queasiness washed over her. No way. Not today.

She proceeded to strip and throw her clothes across the room toward her wash basket, some making it inside, most not. She did blame him for what had happened... but she also blamed herself. If only she had realised early on that she was simply not attracted to men... not to the male form, not the male way of thinking. None of it.

She had thought herself weird and wrong for so long. It had taken arguments and research on her part to actually figure out what it all was. It was so simple and had been staring at her for so long... kind of literally... one day she stepped back and looked over her porn history... and laughed. It was all women. Come on... if that doesn't give you the hint what will.

That made Elena laugh again, she felt her shoulders relax. That was a silly memory that she oddly held dear. One of those life affirming epiphany moments. Something so simple, never mind. She had finally found it.

Water spurted forth from the shower head, the hot steam rising from the cubicle and encircling her body, the droplets fell over her. Her frame was shorter than average yet lean, she had once been a bit of a daily gym goer. Every single day, she had put on muscle and had felt fit enough to impress... someone. She wasn't quite sure what she was doing. But it was her outlet for her own frustration. Now well... she isn't so frustrated anymore and she found herself going less and less, to the point where she stopped her membership all together. She told herself she should probably not let her fitness drop all together. But it wasn't top of her concern list.

Elena pulled her head up into the oncoming water. Letting the pure liquid wash away the filth. She was thinking of what to wear tonight... nothing too flashy it was only a film. Elena felt a smile pull at her lips, not that she really had anything flashy, just various t-shirts, jackets and jeans. Pretty much the same wardrobe every day. Well... she would pick out her nicest top and jeans. That would do.

***

Elena checked her watch again, it was exactly seven thirty. She cleared her throat as she pulled the handbrake on in her car and switched off the engine. The hum of the metal machine quickly vanished as she scanned the car park looking for her friends. There was three of them. All guys from her old job, she once worked in a simple standard office, an insurance company. Absolutely mind numbing, she remembered occasionally letting her mind wonder if she could get away with being hit by a car in the morning and wondering just how much time off that would let her have... she laughed to herself. Not suicidal at all. Elena shook her head, nope it was such a good thing to get out of that job. When you are day dreaming about being hit by a car, you know it's time to leave.

There... she spotted the three figures near the entrance to the grand cinema complex. The first obviously Roger was also scanning the car park for her, he was also a lean figure with a small frame, his clothes often hung off him. His glasses always looking like they are going to fall off his face, he was often pushing the rim back up his nose.

The other two were more Roger's friends then hers but they were nice enough Elena guessed. Joe and Steve. Elena didn't really know them that well, it was always Roger she had the typical water cooler conversations with. Joe was the sporty type, too much in terms of muscle in her opinion and too much outdoors for her. Always gallivanting off on some new adventure, their chats had always been extremely lacking. Steve was more in the middle, with an average build but she knew even less about him. Apart from assuming he still worked in that office she had no idea. Again he seemed nice enough, polite if quiet.

Elena was just about to get out of the car when she noticed a loud group of people passing her car from in front. She thought she would just wait for them to leave... were they drunk? No... Elena couldn't tell, but the laughs were so loud she could hear them from here. She rolled her eyes. A mix of men and women all with arms around each other... except one. She seemed just off from the group... was she even part of the group? Suddenly one turned and spoke to the outsider... yep definitely part of the group. The outsider to the group turned to the rest with a smile on her face, Elena wasn't sure but it did look kind of... forced? But she shook her head... what did she care? She didn't know those people she was here to meet her own friends.

Elena sighed as she watched the group head towards the cinema. It was around mid autumn, so the temperature wasn't too cold to warrant bundling up but the sky outside was dark. The streetlights dotted around the car park casting long shadows onto the dark ground, Elena un-clicked her seatbelt, letting it zoom back behind her. She took one last look to the group who were now quite a bit ahead of her, that one girl was still just outside of the hugging and wobbly mass of people.

Elena pulled her keys toward her and opened her door, slamming it with a dull thud before the car beeped out its admittance to being locked. She quickly pocketed her keys and made her way toward the cinema complex. Zoning into the position of her three friends. It wasn't until she was practically on them that they finally noticed her. Roger in front began to enthusiastically wave at her. The smile practically lit up his face, his beaming smile was infectious, she couldn't help a smile of her own as she drew closer.

Elena felt a slight chill on the breeze and so hid her hands away in her jacket for warmth, she had obviously changed her outfit from before. She looked... better at the very least. Comfy as she preferred things. She wasn't one for dressing up or looking flashy, never was... besides it was only a cinema, not like it was a pristine party with high calibre guests. Who gives two hoots what she wears? She was wearing a dark zipped hooded jacket with a plain light t-shirt underneath, accompanying dark jeans and trainers. Like she said, comfy. Her hair was left down, her long straight dark hair dangling down her back. She found it nothing but a pain, however she just didn't know what else to do with it. Once she was close enough she waved to the group.

"Hey Roger, how are you doing?" Roger grinned at her as he turned toward the cinema front glass doors.

"Good, thanks. We were getting cold stood out here, the guys nearly went in without you." He continued. Was she late? No... she was right on time.

"Were you waiting long?" She inquired.

"A little bit, ah it's ok." He brushed it off. Elena frowned at that. She showed up on time what was their problem. Whatever. She shook it off as nothing and followed the group inside, as usual the other two didn't really acknowledge her at all, instead conversing with themselves. Not that Elena really cared. That was fine, she came to watch this film after all, you didn't talk during films. Roger gripped the bar of the front door and swung it open for her, Elena thanked him automatically as she entered the brightly lit foyer of the cinema. The garish carpet already peppered with popcorn here and there, the poor staff unable to keep up with the drop rate.

Chatter buzzed around the hall, overlaid by the booming voice of the TV's dotted around advertising current and upcoming films. She didn't pay attention to any of it as she moved around the crowds of people milling about the busy entrance and followed the guys towards the ticket booths. They came to a stop in a queue which caused the guys to turn inwards to chat away to each other, Elena zoned out. She didn't really care to listen to this. Not like she would be involved unless Roger pulled her in anyway. She often had that about her, she wasn't sure why. Maybe she gave off some sort of image that she didn't mean to. But she was often just on the outside of conversations with people she hung around with.

That was why it was easier just to live alone and have a few select friends online, at least she knew they wanted to talk to her. Elena's eyes wondered as she caught snippets of conversation. From among the eye catching boards, to the prices, even the other people in the queue awaiting their turn. She realised the group she noticed before was just ahead of them. The rest of the guys she was with was ignoring her and everything else as they were in their own little world. The group before her were likewise conversing among themselves, now this close she could swear they were slightly drunk... tipsy at least.

All except one, the outsider who was just off from the group. Reminded Elena of herself, that was probably what she looked like to the outside world. She watched the woman in front of her glance around at nothing in particular. The woman looked far more dressed up then her, although probably just fine for a cinema, Elena in comparison felt slightly under-dressed.

The woman wore a dark black leather jacket, not of the biker sort but of a sleeker kind. Her long yellow blonde hair cascaded lightly over her shoulders and down her back, her arms were bent outwards as her hands were hidden away in her blue denim jean pockets, Elena found her eyes drifted downwards, down along her long legs which ended in a slight heel, dark heeled shoes completed the ensemble. She didn't miss the curve of the blonde's hips as her eyes travelled down... or how good her backside looked in those tight jeans...

Elena's eyes quickly shot back up to the blonde's head, just in time for the whole queue to shuffle forward closer to the booth. As she did the blonde looked to the side, enough so that Elena caught the side of her face. She looked older... wait, no... she wore makeup which gave off the impression of her being slightly older... Elena unconsciously cocked her head to the side in thought. She must be about the same age as her. The makeup was not too much and merely complimented her look.

Suddenly the woman's neck turned, as if she knew she was being examined. Elena's eyes went wide as she knew she was caught staring, their eyes met for barely a second as she quickly swung her head away and looked at... anything else. She tried in vain to concentrate on the far wall which became fascinating to her right now. She felt the heat of a slight blush creep onto her face, damn it. She prayed to whoever cared that it was not obvious she was blushing, why was she blushing anyway? She wasn't doing anything wrong or weird, well maybe she had been... but no one but her knew that.

Out of the corner of her eye she swore she caught the woman smiling before she turned back to the front of the queue, her group was next for tickets.

"Earth to Elena..." What was that? "Hey girl are you there?" That was Roger... what did he want? She turned to him, a slight scowl adorning her face.

"What?" She snapped at him, a little too forcefully then she meant. But Roger didn't react.

"Where do you wanna sit? Been asking for the past five minutes." That must have been an exaggeration. There was no way they were even in the queue for five minutes. But she ignored it.

"I dunno... the back I guess." Elena shrugged. She didn't really care, as long as she could see. She usually ended up at the back anyway, as whenever she went the other people wanted the back. What was so special about the back anyway? For a start you were further away and it was likewise further if you needed to leave during the film. But Elena didn't really care that much about it. Roger turned back to his comrades with that information in hand.

Once again the queue shuffled forward, the steady progress of the line was slow but it could have been worse. Elena sighed as she watched the group ahead of them order their tickets, she was too far back and it was too noisy for her to hear any snippets of the conversation with the staff member. It didn't take long at all for them to have their tickets and move off, must not have been that picky with seats. Whatever. A ticket was passed to the blonde woman ahead of her, the woman took her small paper and examined it.Elena wasn't sure why she was watching her at all, but she certainly had her interest.

Or... maybe she was just being a creep? She wanted to roll her eyes at herself, she wasn't at some bar trying to pull. She was here to watch a film, nothing more. However before the woman drew too far away with her own group she pulled her gaze up and looked squarely at Elena. This caused Elena to blush once again... why was she staring?! The brunette chewed the inside of her lip and fiddled with the zip on her hooded jacket, now she felt awkward. But the woman merely smiled, it was a warm smile. Made Elena feel a bit hot inside, felt...nice. However awkward this was. Too soon the blonde turned back to her group as they made their way to the screens.

Roger and the other two guys in her group made their way to the ticket booth, once more Elena stayed back. She didn't really care about the tickets, she trusted Roger to actually get four together though. That was as about as much as she cared. She glanced around the cinema entrance, on the other side was a busy queue, the line was situated before the food stands.

She cringed inwardly, it was far too busy for her liking. Not like this film had just come out, but it looks like it was packed. Maybe there was something else newer on that she just didn't realise. There were films on at different times obviously, she shrugged. All she wanted was a drink... but maybe she could skip it.